Legal Tennessee Online Betting in June 2020

After months of debate, Tennessee is set to become the latest state to offer legal sports betting. However, burdensome taxes and other regulations may hobble the launch. What can you expect from Tennessee sportsbooks in 2020? We'll break it down for you in this extensive review.

If your first bet loses, you'll get a refund up to $500. Refund paid in free bets broken down to ten... Read Morebets. For example if you miss your first bet of $500, you'll get 10x $50 free bets. 1x wagering requiremen for the free bets.

Legal Tennessee Online Betting Sites

Tennessee has joined the legal sports betting club – but will excessive regulations sink their market?

On April 30, 2019, Tennessee online betting sites, at least on paper, became legal. At the time, gamers praised the Volunteer State for avoiding the protectionist model other states were adopting.

In short, Tennessee would NOT require sports betting sites to partner with a brick-and-mortar casino. However, in the months since legalization, proposed rules have drawn the ire of Tennessee bettors.

These measures include deeming ties as parlay losses, a 15% hold rate, and the second-highest sports betting tax in the country (Only PA is higher). Needless to say, public feedback has been heated.

Despite the controversy, we expect online sports betting apps to go live sometime in 2020. What can sports bettors expect when the lights finally turn on? We’ll cover what we’ve heard in this extensive review.

TN Online Betting Apps

Currently in June, there are no legal betting apps to be found in Tennessee. However, as sports betting is set to become legal in 2020, there’s a good chance four major sportsbooks will open up in Tennessee.

TN Sportsbook

Betting App

Software

FanDuel

Yes

iOS / Android

DraftKings

Yes

iOS / Android

William Hill

Yes

iOS / Android

Unibet

Yes

iOS / Android

Proposed Tennessee sports betting regulations, if adopted, will create a challenging environment for bookies and bettors alike. High hold rates and taxes mean that only industry-leading brands stand a chance at long-term success.

At least four players have the resources to survive this harsh environment, including FanDuel and DraftKings. When they launch, they’ll offer an app for customers who have either iOS or Android devices.

iOS installations are straightforward. All you need to do is find the relevant app in the App Store and click “download.”

Meanwhile, Android installs are a bit more complicated. For starters, Android bans real-money gaming apps from the Play Store. Therefore, you’ll need to download your app from your sportsbook’s website.

At this point, you may run into another issue – your phone may block your download. If this happens to you, you’ll need to adjust your security settings. As you scroll down, look for something like “Allow Downloads From Unknown Sources.” Is it unchecked? Then, enable it.

Lastly, to comply with state law, Tennessee online betting sites will need to track your device’s location. This measure will allow them to prevent unlawful out-of-state betting. It could also cause problems if you live in a border region. If you’re on data and your phone connects to an out-of-state tower, your app will NOT accept wagers. Those who run into this problem can connect via wi-fi or move away from the border.

Free Bets, Risk-Free Bets & Deposit Matches in Tennessee

With a state population of seven million, Tennessee has the potential to be a decent sports betting market. The lack of a sponsoring requirement means that, effectively, there’s no limit to the licenses the state can issue.

Assuming it can work out its regulation issues, Tennessee will be a highly competitive market. To attract customers, providers will offer customers a variety of welcome promotions. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Risk-free bets

Free bets

Deposit bonuses

In the beginning, Tennessee online betting sites will likely offer something called a “risk-free” bet. A risk-free bet “guarantees” a customer’s first wager up to a cap, like $500. If the bettor wins, they collect their winnings as they usually would, But, if they lose, the sportsbook refunds their losses, in part or full, up to the cap.

Free bets are more aggressive. As the name suggests, the betting site GIVES you money to wager with. If you lose, you lose the house’s money. However, if you win, you collect the profit, but NOT the stake.

Some sportsbooks will also use casino-style deposit bonuses to attract customers. In return for depositing money, your bookie will match a certain percentage, and up to a specific cap. For example, a 100% up to $250 deposit bonus will yield you $250 in BONUS CASH if you deposit $250 of your own funds.

Playthrough Requirements

Many of the bonuses mentioned above sound unbelievable. Well, believe it – every day, sports bettors in legal markets score hundreds of dollars in bonus cash.

However, they do come with strings attached. These playthrough requirements help protect sportsbooks from being taken advantage of by bonus-chasers. To withdraw bonus funds earned through promotions, you need to wager through them a set amount.

Usually, for sportsbooks, this number is quite low. In markets like New Jersey or Pennsylvania, a 1x turnover is all you need to withdraw bonus cash. However, given the pending tough market conditions in Tennessee, that number could be different here. When we get further details, we’ll update this section.

Tennessee Online Betting Promos

Welcome offers are only the beginning. To keep customers, sportsbooks must provide an incentive to stay. Assuming Tennessee gets its issues sorted out, its sports betting market is set to be a competitive one. If a bettor doesn’t like a site’s layout, its odds, etc., they’ll jump to another website – just like that.

There’s one thing successful sportsbooks have in common – engaging ongoing promotions. As such, there are many ways to entice players to stay. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Reload bonuses

Profit boosts

Odds boosts

Insurance promos

More

Reload bonuses are among the most common promos out there. Here’s how they work: in return for re-depositing a minimum amount (usually $10-$20), they’ll match to a certain percentage/cap. Let’s say DraftKings is offering a Monday Night Football 50% reload bonus. They’ll give you 50% of whatever you put on the site, up to a limit of $100. To max out this promotion takes only $200 – not a bad deal!

As fun as that is, it’s an offer commonly found in online casinos. Profit and odds boosts, on the other hand, are exclusive to sportsbooks. A profit boost magnifies the money you make on a wager. For instance, let’s say you apply a 20% profit boost to a wager that will pay you $200. If you win, you’ll make $40 EXTRA on top!

What about odds boosts? As the name suggests, it applies its magic to the odds part of the equation. For instance, let’s say you’re wagering on the Memphis Grizzlies to win at -180. An odds boost might change that to -220, leading to an increased payout if you win!

Finally, we’ve all experienced the sting of the “miracle comeback.” A 4-6 team comes back from three touchdowns at the half to win – it hurts! Insurance promos, most often available on parlays, can protect your investment. If a last-minute comeback turns your bet into a loser, it will pay part or ALL your stake back!

Banking at a TN Bookie

Like other states, Tennessee will offer a variety of deposit methods.

Ready to try out Tennessee online betting sites? When sites go live later this year, you’ll need to deposit first. We can’t say with 100% certainty what options will be available yet. However, based on offerings in other states, we are relatively sure about some of them.

Let’s get into it.

Deposit methods

The following deposit options are available in EVERY active sport betting market in America:

Credit cards (Visa/MasterCard)

ACH/online banking

PayPal

Credit cards and online banking are, by far, the easiest ways to get a bankroll online. You enter your details, and, within seconds, you’re in business.

However, these options might NOT be available to you. Some banks, despite a massive legalization push by the states, continue to treat sportsbook transactions as illicit. But even if you aren’t affected, privacy concerns may make a card/ACH deposit unrealistic.

In this case, PayPal is your best bet. Virtually all banks in the USA trust PayPal transactions, making PayPal deposits the perfect workaround. Start by moving your desired deposit onto PayPal. Then, request a PayPal transaction on your sportsbook. Within seconds, your funds will be transferred – and neither your bank or other actors will know about it.

Prepaid cards

PayNearMe

Need more privacy? Sadly, Cash at the Cage likely won’t be an option, as Tennessee law doesn’t require brick-and-mortar partnerships. However, PayNearMe MIGHT. An app that turns physical cash into digital currency, it’s currently in use in multiple legal betting markets.

If PayNearMe is available, start by requesting a PayNearMe deposit. You’ll get a PayCode – take it and your cash deposit to a PayNearMe dealer (CVS/Family Dollar/7-Eleven/etc.). Once the cashier processes your transaction, you’ll have a bankroll ready to go.

At this point, it is unclear whether prepaid cards, like Play+, will be available. In other states, they are tied to brick-and-mortar casinos. However, William Hill has a card of its own. If they enter the TN market, William Hill may offer it as a deposit/withdrawal method. To deposit, load a cash amount onto the card at the point of purchase. From that point, you can deposit cash on the card onto William Hill.

Withdrawal Methods

Some deposit methods, like PayNearMe, are unavailable for withdrawals. If you can’t withdraw the way you deposited, the following methods MAY be available:

ACH (e-checks)

PayPal

Paper checks

Prepaid cards

Unlike deposits, withdrawals are NOT instantaneous. All requests come under review to protect sportsbooks against questionable transactions. It doesn’t take long, though – most complete checks within a few hours.

Then, your withdrawal has to make its way through the financial system. Prepaid cards are usually the quickest method – once a card withdrawal passes review, it is immediately available. You can use the card to pay for goods/services, or you can withdraw it as cash at an ATM.

Bank and ACH transfers are the next fastest. After approval, these withdrawals take three to five business days to land in your account. PayPal withdrawals take less than 48 hours to complete. However, this time frame does NOT include transit time between PayPal and your bank. Unless you pay for an expedited transfer (less than 24 hours), tack on an extra three to five business days.

Unsurprisingly, paper checks come in last place. Allow a minimum of seven to ten business days for your funds to arrive in your mailbox.

TN Betting Conclusion – Legal Betting is Just a Couple of Months Away

At some point in 2020, Tennessee online betting sites will come online. However, whether or not they will be successful remains an open question. As they stand now, Tennessee’s sports betting regulations may force odds to be markedly higher than offshore bookies. That’s not good news for the bettor.

If legislators adequately address these concerns, Tennessee will be a thriving market with unparalleled freedom.

Tennessee Betting FAQ

Can you bet on sports online in Tennessee?

Not yet. While legislation legalizing Tennessee sports betting passed in April 2019, legislators are still debating regulations. The most recent reports have the state issuing the first licenses by the end of Q2 2020.

Will I be able to place bets in Tennessee using a VPN?

No. In fact, we advise strongly against it. Tennessee sports betting regulations prohibit sportsbooks from accepting out-of-state wagers. This rule is similar to what is in place in other states. In those jurisdictions, sportsbooks track your location using geolocation software.

They also track if you are using IP addresses associated with VPN services. If a sportsbook catches you using a VPN IP address, they can close your account without warning and seize its funds. If you use a VPN for privacy purposes, turn it off before logging on to a Tennessee sportsbook.

Why is there so much controversy surrounding Tennessee sports betting regulations?

Over the past several months, Tennessee legislators have been drafting sports betting regulations. When they released them for public comment, there was an uproar. For starters, the sports betting tax will be among the steepest in the country – only Pennsylvania’s will be higher.

Worse yet, Tennessee is mandating sportsbooks to hold up to 15% of a wager. Simply put, this requirement will force bookies to post odds markedly worse than offshore competitors.

Is FanDuel Sportsbook coming to Tennessee?

No official announcement has been made. However, sources indicate they are among the sportsbooks working toward a 2020 launch.

Riku V

Editor-in-Chief

Riku V's a veteran in the online gambling business. He started probably way too young betting horses and all the major sports, in 2004 he switched to playing online poker for a living. In 2014 he called it a day and continued gambling as a hobby. An expert in the field of online gambling, he goes to Vegas roughly once a year to reminisce his glory days as a poker professional... but often finds himself sitting at the Bellagio Sportsbook with a couple of Bud Lights.

BonusFinder.com is a user-driven and independent casino review portal. Please check your local laws and regulations before playing online to ensure you are legally permitted to participate by your age and in your jurisdiction.